Stranding machine



May 7, 1935. w. E. SOMERVILLE STRANDING MACHINE 2 Shets-Sheet 1 FiledJan. 5, 1954 No mu Q m. y 0 N v ii L May 7, 1935.'

w. E. SOMERVILLE STRANDING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 5, 193472 72 for:

Mlliavz .j'omerfi'lle Patented May 7,' 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in stranding machines for forminga plurality of wires into a strand or the formation of a plurality ofsuch strands into a wire rope, as well as the subsequent formation of aplurality of wire ropes into a cable, and therefore the terms strandingand strands as are here used, are to be construed broadly to include allof such products.

Heretofore in stranding machines rotating heads have been employed andthrough which heads a central wire or core has been fed and separatestrands or wires have also been fed through the head to be wrappedaround the core.

In such operations the strands have been wrapped around the core wire bythe rotation of such head so as to form helices or convolutions in thestrands, but the rotation of the head and the manner in which the wiresor strands are fed to the core creates torsion in the strands, tendingto twist them in laying up-the strands or wires in the cable.

This is accentuated by reason of the fact that the strands are fed tothe core in a general direction lengthwise of the core.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide in amachine of this character a non-rotating head having means whereby thewires or strands will be fed to the core at substantially right anglesto the axis of the core, at the point of contact of the strand with thecore and at the point where the coiling of the wires about the corecommences, thereby allowing the wires or strands to be rolled or coiledinto position about the core in laying up the wires or strands in therope or cable.

A further object is to provide in a stranding machine of this charactera haul off, and a take up mechanism which will 'be entirely separatefrom each other, thereby reducing the amount of weight, resulting in aperfect balance, and at the same time reduce to a minimum the diameterof the machine, allowing greater speed with less power.

To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new anduseful objects as will appear, the invention consists in the features ofnovelty in substantially the construction, combination and arrangementof the several parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed andshownyin the accompanying drawings illustrating this invention and inwhich Figure 1 is a view partly in elevation, partly in section, withparts broken away and parts omitted, of a machine of this characterconstructed .journaled in suitable bearings l1.

in accordance with the principles of this invention. I

Figure 2 is a top plan view of a portion of the machine showing thestrander head.

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view, with parts 5 I omitted, as taken online 3-3, Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view, with parts omitted, and on anenlarged scale, as taken. on line 4-4, Figure 1. 2 v Figure 5 is anenlarged detail sectional view 10 of the strander head.

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view, with parts omitted, and as taken online 6--6, Figure 5. Figure '1 is a detail sectional view, with partsomitted, and as taken on line 1-1, Figure 5.

Figure 8 is a detail sectional View of one end of the spindle shown inFigure 5, through which the core wire passes. 5

Figure 9 is a modified form of the invention.

' Referring more particularly to the drawings, the 20 numeral I0designates a supporting structure upon which a shaft i l is mounted, andconnected to the shaft is a yoke if in which a reel I3 is journaled andwound upon the reel I3 is a strand or wire M, which constitutes the-corewire. The 25 yoke l2 carrying the reel I3 is adapted to be rotated bymeans of a suitable motor l5, and connected to the shaft of the motor isa shaft IS A sprocket wheel is carried by the shaft I6 and over which 3sprocket wheel a sprocket chain l8 passes, the chain also passing over asprocket wheel I 9 secured to the shaft ll.

Arranged in advance of the reel l3 are supporting frames 20, any numberof which may be 35 provided, and removably journaled in these frames arespools or reels 2!, any number of which may be provided, and thesespools or reels are preferably arranged on each side but in advance ofthe reel I3. Theselspools or reels 2| have'wound 40 thereupon thestrands or wires 22 which are coiled about the core H to produce thefinished product.

A supporting structure 23 is arranged adjacent the spools 2| and a shaft24 is mounted upon 45 the structure 23 in a manner to beheld againstrotation, but so that it may be adjusted lengthwise of its axis and whenadjusted may be held in its adjusted position by means of a fasteningdevice 25, such as a set screw or the like. The shaft 24 is hollow asshown more clearly in Figure 5, and through this shaft the core wire 14loosely passes.

Secured to the end of the shaft 24 is a head 26, and to this head issecured asuppOrting frame fere with the free rotation thereof.

21 of any desired construction. The members of the frame 21 may be ofany desired length and to the free extremities thereof is securedanother member 28 within which a. member 29 carrying a die 30 isrotatably mounted. This member 29 may be removably secured in positionby means of suitable fastening plates 3l32 and is preferably providedwith a worm gear 33 about its periphery. The member 29 is provided withopenings 34 through which the strands or wires 22 pass in a manner to belater described.

Mounted upon the member 28 in any suitable manner is a worm gear 35which meshes with the worm 33, and connected to the worm gear 35 is ashaft 36, the extremity 31 of which is preferably angular in crosssection, so that by the application of a crank or toolto the end of theshaft the worm 35 may be rotated to impart a rotary movement to themember 29 so as to pre-form the wire into coils or helices 3B and tovary the length of the lap and lay of the coils or helices.

Supported also by the frame 21 is another member 39 having a portion 40shaped to form a die. This member is adapted to be laterally adjustedtoward and away from the member 28 pref erably by means of a screw 4ithreaded into the member 39 and journaled in the member 28, theextremity 42 of the screw 4| being exposed and projecting beyond theouter face of the member 29 and preferably angular in cross section toreceive a tool or wrench so that by rotating the screw 4! the member 39may be moved towards or away from the member 28 to vary the length ofthe lap or lay of the wires 22 about the core l4 between the members 28and 39.

The central portion of the member 39 is preferably cut away or recessedas at 43 and radial openings 44 communicating with such space 43,opening through the periphery of the member 39. These openings 44 arearranged at substantially right angles to the axis of the member 39 andadjacent each of the openings 44, any number of which may be provided,and rotatably supported by the periphery of the member 39 are pulleys45, over which the strands or wires 22 pass as the strands or wires passthrough the openings 24 to be coiled about the core.

The opening 46 at the center of the member 39 and through which the corewire l4 passes, is of a diameter considerably greater than the diameterof the core'wire, and a tubular member or spindle 41 freely rotates insuch opening. One end of this spindle 41 projects beyond the front faceof the member 39 and is journaled as at 48 I in the die 38, the openingin the spindle registering with the opening 49 in the die 30 and member29. A roller thrust bearing 50 may be provided at the end of the spindle41 so as not'to inter- The spindle is of such a length as to project fora considerable distance beyond the other, face of the member 39 so thatno matter what position the member 39 may assume with respect to themember 28, the spindle 41 will not be detached therefrom.

The core wire 14 is fed through the shaft 24 to the spindle 41, andthrough the member 28 and is advanced in a manner to be described. Thestrands or wires 22 are fed from the reels 20 which are held in a fixedposition rotatable only about their own axes, and the wires pass overthe pulleys 45 through the openings 44 at right angles to the axis ofthe core l4, and at the point of contact of the wires with the core. Atthis point any desired number of convolutions or helices 38 are formedby rotating the member 29 with respect to the member 39, which may beaccomplished preferably by threading the wires or strands 22 through theopenings 34 in the member 29 to any desired extent, and then rotatingthe latter, or the convolutions38 may be formed between the members28-39 in any other desired or suitable manner. After the strands orwires pass through the openings 34 they are directed around the core' Hito form the completed strand or product P, and this is accomplished byreason of the fact that the core l4 with the wires or strands 22 wrappedtherearound beyond the member 28, is rotated, causing the pre-formedcoils or helices to layproperly upon the core in the finished product.As the product P is advanced the strands or wires 22 will be drawnthrough the openings 23 in the member 29 and this will cause thepre-formed coils or convolutions'38 to be unwrapped, while at the sametime they will retain their shape which they assume in the finishedproduct. As the convolutions 38 are being unwound and by reason of thegrip of the convolutions upon the spindle 41, the latter will be rotatedand as the strands or wires 22 are fed to and at right angles to theaxis of the spindle, it will be manifest that these wires or strandswill be wound or coiled about the spindle without creating any torsionor twist in the wires or strands.

.The product P passes through a hollow shaft 5| rotatably supported uponan upright frame 52, the shaft 5| being rotated by means of a sprocketchain 53 which passes over a sprocket wheel 54 secured to the shaft andover a sprocket 55 secured to the shaft it, which latter is journa'ledin bearings 56 in the supporting structure 52.

To the end of the shaft 5| is secured a flier 51 which is also connectedto a shaft 58 at its other end, the latter being journaled in a supporng structure 59. Mounted upon the flier 51 is a haul 01f mechanismcomprising a series of drums or pulleys 60-6 I, over which the product Pis wound any desired number of times, and from the pulleys 6| passesover a pulley 62 on the flier and through the tubular shaft 58. I

The pulleys 606| are rotated by means of a sprocket chain 62' passingover a sprocket wheel 63 on one of the pulleys and a sprocket wheel 64on the other pulley. A beveled gear 65 is connected to the shaft of oneof the pulleys and with which beveled gear 65 a beveled gear 86 carriedby a shaft 81 meshes. The shaft 61 is journaled in the flier and hasconnected to it a gear wheel 68 that meshes with a gear wheel 69 on arotatable collar or sleeve 10 which surrounds the shaft 58. A sprocketchain 1| passing over a sprocket wheel on the,sleeve 19 also passes overa sprocket wheel 12 on a shaft 13 also journaled in the supports 59, andthis shaft 13 has connection with a speed reduction gear 14(diagrammatically illustrated) and to which speed reduction gear is alsoconnected a shaft 15 having a sprocket wheel over which a sprocket chain18 passes, and this sprocket chain 16 also passes over a sprocket wheel11 secured to the shaft 58 so that when the flier 51 is rotated, theshaft 58' will be rotated, and the rotation of the shaft 58 will,through the medium of the sprocket chain 16, rotate the shaft 15 and theshaft 15 through the medium of the reduction gear 14 will rotate theshaft 13.- The rotation of the shaft 13 will through the medium of thesprocket chain II rotate the sleeve I9, 'and this in turn will rotatethe gear 89 and the gear 68 will rotate the shaft 61 and thereby causethe sprocket 62 to rotate the pulleys or draw off mechanism 68-6I,thereby imparting a rotary movement to the finished product P,'causingthe core wire I4 as well as the strands 22 to be advanced. From the hauloff mechanism the strand passes through the shaft 58 into a hollowportion 18 of a shaft 18. To this shaft 18 is connected a head 88 whichis supported by means of rollers 8| for free rotation and the head 88 isprovided with an arm 82 projecting laterally therefrom. Other arms 88may be provided on the head, if desired, for counterbalancing purposes.Extending into the shaft 18 isone end of a shaft 84 and the shaft isadapted to be moved lengthwise of its axis. 1

The other end of the shaft passes through a sleeve 85 supported by asupporting structure 88.

The shaft 84 is keyed to the sleeve 85 for rotation therewith, but forlongitudinal movement with respect thereto, and mounted upon the shaft84 is a reel 81 secured to the shaft in any suitable manner, such as byresting against a collar 88 at one end and by means of a fasteningdevice 81* at the other end, so that the reel 81 and shaft 84 willrotate together. the hollow end 18 of the shaft 18 passes under a pulley88, thence over a pulley 8| on the head 88 and over a pulley 82 on thearm 82 to be directed to the reel 81 to be wound therearound. Thewinding of the cable P upon the reel 81 rotates the latter and therotation of the reel rotates the shaft 84.

Connected to the sleeve 85 is a sprocket wheel over which a sprocketchain 83 passes and this chain also passes over a sprocket on a shaft84. The shaft 84 through a transmission gear 85 rotates a shaft 86 whichis connected by means of a sprocket chain 81 to a shaft 88 having avdouble screw thread feed construction 88 formed thereon. A similardouble feed screw I88 is connected by means of a sprocket chain I8l tothe feed screw 88, and a yoke I82 is connected to the shaft 84 by meansof a latch 84. When the shaft 84 is rotated the sleeve 85 will berotated, and this will actuate the sprocket chain 88 to rotate the shaft86, and the sprocket chains 81-I8I will rotate the feed screws 88-I88 tomove the shaft 84 longitudinally and shift the reel 81 forwardly andbackwardly with respect to the roller 82, so that the cable or strand Pmay be wound anism will cause a reverse direction of movement of theshaft 84 longitudinalb'to move the reel 81 in the opposite direction sothat a reciprocating movement may be given to the reel 81.

If desired and in order to cause a tension to be exerted upon the cableP being wound upon the reel 81, a suitable brake device 88 may be usedin connection with the shaft 88 and which brake mechanism is of theusual pulley and band type which acts automatically. I

With this improved construction it will be manifest that the haul offmechanism embodying the filer 51 and the take up mechanism, embodyingthe member 88, will be separate and distinct from each other so that itwill not only be possible to reduce the diameter of the machine, but

The cable P passed into one being separate from the other a perfectbalance of the mechanism may be obtained, and at the same time areduction in the weight carried by each of these parts will be produced,with the further result that a greater speed of rotation may be obtainedwith less power.

It will also be manifest that by reason of the wires or strands beingfed to the core at right angles to the axis of the core and at rightangles separate from a temporary core I85, which latter is supported byone end in an opening I86 in the die member I81, corresponding to thedie member 38, a thrust bearing I88 being provided for one end of thetemporary core. One extremity of this temporary core is preferablyenlarged as at I88, while the other extremity passes freely through theopening H8 in the member III, corresponding to the member 88.

An opening H2 is provided in the die I81 (see also the die 88) throughwhich the core I84 may be passed, when the form of the invention shownin Figure 9 is employed, otherwise this form of the invention operatesin the same manner as that shown in Figure 5.

While the preferred forms ofthe invention have been herein shown anddescribed, it is to be understood that various changes may be made inthe details of construction and in the combination and arrangement ofthe several parts, within the-scope of the claims, without departingfrom the spirit of this invention.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In a stranding machine a non-rotating preforming head provided withmeans for feeding the strand components to a core to be temporarilywound therearound, at substantially right angles to the axis of the coreat the point "of contact of the strand components with the core, thesaid core embodying a freely rotatable spindle about which the helicesare formed.

2. In a stranding machine a non-rotating preforming head provided withmeans for feeding the strand components to a core to be temporarilywound therearound, at substantially right angles to the axis of the coreat the point of contact of the strand components with the core, the saidcore embodying a freely rotatable spindle about which the helices areformed, and an end thrust ball bearing for the spindle.

3. In a stranding machine a non-rotating preforming head provided withmeans for feeding 1 the strand components to a core to be temporarilywound therearound, at substantially right angles I to the axis of thecore at the point of contact of the strand components with the core, thesaid core embodying a freely rotatable hollow spindle aboutwhich thehelices are formed, and through which spindle a core wire is fed, andabout which core wire the strand components arellaidbeyond the spindle.

4. In a wire twisting machine, the combination of a stationary head, aplurality of supply reels for wire strands, said reels mounted forrotation about their individual axes but maintained against bodilyrotation, means for supplying a core wire, stationary means adjacentsaid head for feeding the strands to the core wire at substantiallyright angles to the axis of the core to be wound about the core, andmeans for axially rotating the core .of a stationary head, a pluralityof supply reels for wire strands, said reels mounted for rotation abouttheir individual axes but maintained against bodily rotation, means forforming a coil from said strands, the said means embodying stationarymeans in proximity to said head for feeding the strands to the coil atsubstantially right angles to the axis of the coil, and means foraxially rotating and advancing the coil, whereby the individual strandswill be maintained against twisting about their individual longitudinalaxes as the strands are fed to and wrapped or laid about the core.

6. In a wire twisting machine, the combination of a plurality ofrotatable but nonrevoluble supplies oi. wire strands, 'a core wire, astationary head through which the strands are fed to the core, and meansfor causing the wire strands to be coiled about the core and thereafteradvanced, the said means embodying passages through the head 'atsubstantially right angles to the axis 01 the core and through whichpassages the strands are fed to the core whereby the individual strandswill be maintained against twisting about their individual longitudinalaxes as the strands are fed to and wrapped or laid about the core.

WILLIAM E. SOMERVILLE.

